I hate to be the one to bring this up, but there are less than two weeks for you to complete all of your holiday shopping.
If you’re still stumped about what to buy, perhaps this list of gift ideas grouped by theme will inspire you.
The Most for your Host
A classic holiday gift for hosts is a great bottle of wine, but if you want to make it really stand out, tuck it into a Dennis Basso faux fur wine bag ($25.50 for two on QVC).
If you are shooting for more of a statement, pair the wine with Lake Champlain Assorted Revel Chocolates ($36 for 18 pcs), which are handmade in Vermont and include sophisticated blends like chipotle and cinnamon.
Bring your holiday party dish on the Sparq Home Original Soapstone Appetizer Tray (about $45 on Amazon), which can be heated to keep appetizers warm or chilled to keep desserts cool.
Yankee Candle has an adorable new collection inspired by The Sound of Music. Brown Paper Packages large jar candle ($27.99) has a soft, spicy scent that is perfect for clearing out cooking smells and adding ambience to your hostesses home.
Drink Up
A fruit smoothie can prove to be a seriously expensive habit. For less than $80.00, the Ninja Kitchen System Pulse offers single-serve technology to blend individual drinks in portable cups.
The Ninja Kitchen System Plus makes a nice gift for your family and it will keep your banana peanut butter creation safely separated from your daughter’s kale and cashew concoction.
Impress the in-laws with the Esio Hot & Cold Beverage System ($199.00). This system has a small(ish) footprint and dispenses both hot and cold water, as well as creating coffee, juice drinks or even iced tea. Not only will they save money on beverages, but they’ll reduce waste of bottles and cans, too.
At Home Mixology
Do you have a budding mixologist friend? Allow them to mix things up on their own. Cocktail Rx includes all-natural drink mixes, rimming sugars and salts packaged adorably in its own cocktail mixer. Varieties, including Lemon drop and Appletini, cost under $10 on Amazon.com.
Cocktail R-Evolution Molecular Mixology Kit ($59.95) is like a chemistry kit for grown-ups. Everything needed to make cocktails look and taste more glamorous, including ingredient packets and recipes for things like layered drinks or foam to accent cocktails, are included in the kit.
Want to go the full Bond? The Waring Pro Professional Electric Martini Maker ($60, QVC) is a cool little gadget that allows you the option of creating the perfect home martini – shaken or stirred.
Pair your gift with a bottle of smooth Prairie Organic Vodka ($24.99) or Marie Brizard Chocolat Royal Liqueur ($27.99) to inspire upscale chocolate martinis.
Mix Things Up
Some gifts stretch the boundaries of typical gifts for women or men include:
Tomboy Tools, which is a line of tools designed specifically for women (yes, they’re pink). The Tomboy Traveler ($79) includes 10 tools, accessories (and even safety goggles) in a canvas zippered bag.
The Drake iPad bag by Hex ($39.95) is a padded cross-body bag that protects his tablet with room for a phone and wallet.
Motorola Talkabout MT350R Radios ($80) are weatherproof and perfect for outdoors types or for an older relative to stay in case of emergency.
Pick Up Artist
Even if you haven’t gotten around to picking up something for everyone on your list, there are lots of last-minute options.
Who knew that you can find the latest Amazon Kindle Fire 7” Full Color Wi-Fi Tablet for under $200 at Radio Shack?
A 30 to 90-day Movie Pass for the movie lover in your life (moviepass.com) allows them to see nearly unlimited movies at almost any theater.
Shopping for more of a homebody?
Try a boxed set DVDs of their favorite show. The Desperate Housewives: Complete Collection ($149) comes with a whopping 46 discs/179 episodes covering all 8 seasons of the show and is packaged in an adorable steamer trunk.
Books are also a classic holiday gift idea.
New this season is The Lawgiver written by 97-year old Herman Wouk ($25.99), which might even inspire Grandpa to start his own novel.
Airbrushed Nation by Jennifer Nelson ($16.00) peels back some of the layers of women’s magazine industry and Peppermint Twist: The Mob, the Music, and the Most Famous Dance Club of the ’60s ($25.99) reads like a cross between The Sopranos and Mad Men.
Get Fresh
Gifts don’t have to be predictable to be practical. Wild Birds Unlimited Bird Food Cylinders come in adorable shapes (about $40 for the cylinder and feeder combo) and act as outdoor décor as well as a nice way to teach kids about birds/bird feeding.
BonsaiOutlet.com has bonsais for beginners ($69.95 for a Ficus beginner kit), so you can treat your friend with a green thumb or to something stunning and sustainable.
Sprout Eco Watches aren’t just chic — they have a conscience and are made from corn resin, conflict-free diamonds, bamboo and cork and come in recycled packaging (starting at $35).
Stuff for Stockings
And finally, it’s a good idea to have some inexpensive gifts on hand for unexpected gifts or just as thoughtful add-ons.
ChapStick has limited edition flavors, like Candy Cane, available for under $3.00. The Good Home Co. Closet and Drawer Sachets in Beach Days, freshen up drawers or gym bags ($16 for 6).
Moonstruck Chocolate offers adorable penguin truffles that come in white and dark chocolate ($15 for four) and Bloom BlackTies are elegant ponytail holders that double as bracelets ($34.00 for a pack of two).
Echo Touch Bow Gloves ($42 Lord & Taylor) are chic gloves are made out of special fabric that is compatible with iPhone and most touch-screen devices. A small twist of fabric on each thumb and allows her to stylishly text away without catching cold.
Rachel Weingarten highlights more of her favorite gifts on her new gift etiquette and ideas site http://rachelpresents.com Connect with her on Twitter @rachelcw or write to Rachel with your burning style questions at mintstylerachel [at] gmail.com.